Strategic Planning for Local Elected Officials
- Chapel Hill, NCJanuary 30, 2026
This course will be held in-person at the UNC-School of Government from 1pm - 4pm
Effective local government leaders articulate a clear vision for the future of their communities and proactively disseminate this vision among constituents and government staff. Strategic planning serves as an essential instrument for elected officials to formulate a cohesive vision and communicate it to both internal and external stakeholders.It ensures that organizational activities are consistently aligned with the priorities set by the board, while also providing transparency and accountability regarding progress to the public.
This course is tailored for elected officials seeking to understand strategic planning and its potential to enhance community development. Participants will explore:
The definition of strategic planning
Advantages of the planning process
Responsibilities of elected officials in strategic planning
Preparatory steps for initiating strategic planning
Methods for engaging the public and securing stakeholder support
Procedures for developing the strategic plan
Strategies for effective implementation
Approaches to ensuring the plan delivers meaningful benefits to the community
Participants will receive a copy of the book, Strategic Planning for Elected Officials, Second Edition (Pasha, UNC School of Government, 2025)
Who Should Attend
Local elected officials and other board members.
LELA Level: This is a 301-level course in the Local Elected Leaders Academy. Participants will receive 6 credits towards their Mentor recognition level for attending this class.
Members of Civic Federal Credit Union (Civic) and Local Government Federal Credit Union (LGFCU), who are local government employees, are eligible to apply for a scholarship towards tuition for conferences, classes, and seminars offered by the School of Government. There are four deadlines to submit applications:
- March 1 (for courses starting between April 1 and June 30)
- June 1 (for courses starting between July 1 and September 30)
- September 1 (for courses starting between October 1 and December 31)
- December 1 (for courses starting between January 1 and March 31)
The North Carolina Association of County Commissioners provides cost offsets for county elected officials to attend LELA courses. For information on this discount please click the link below.
- Chapel Hill, NCJanuary 30UNC School of Government
400 South Road
Knapp-Sanders Building
Chapel Hill, NC 27514View Scholarship InformationMembers of Civic Federal Credit Union (Civic) and Local Government Federal Credit Union (LGFCU), who are local government employees, are eligible to apply for a scholarship towards tuition for conferences, classes, and seminars offered by the School of Government. There are four deadlines to submit applications:
- March 1 (for courses starting between April 1 and June 30)
- June 1 (for courses starting between July 1 and September 30)
- September 1 (for courses starting between October 1 and December 31)
- December 1 (for courses starting between January 1 and March 31)
The North Carolina Association of County Commissioners provides cost offsets for county elected officials to attend LELA courses. For information on this discount please click the link below.
View Cancellation PolicyCourse participants who cancel their registration on or before January 22, 2026 will receive a full refund. No refund will be made for cancellations on or after January 23, 2026, but you will receive a transferrable credit to be used within 12 months. Click here to view the School’s full cancellation and refund policy.$175.00Registration and payment for this course grants access for a single attendee. In order to register a group of attendees, please register each person individually. If you have questions, please contact our registration office at registration@sog.unc.edu or 919.966.4414.
